Sliver feed and drafting means of a ring spinning frame



April 4,1967 J. NOGUERA 3,312,050

SLIVER FEED AND DRAFTING MEANS OF A RING SPINNING FRAME Filed Nov. 16, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. NOGUERA April 4, 1967 SLIVER FEED AND DRAFTING MEANS OF A RING SPINNING FRAME Filed Nov. 16, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 prfl 4, 1967 J. NOGUERA 3,312,@50

SLIVER FEED AND DRAFTING MEANS OF A RING SPINNING FRAME Filed Nov. 16, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Ofiice Patented Apr. 4, 1967 Filed Nov. 16, 1964-, Ser. No. 411,424

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Nov. 19, 1963, 45,700/63 4 Claims. (Cl. 57-34) This invention relates to ring spinning frames and is concerned with generally facilitating the feeding of such frames with sliver, particularly from the larger types of sliver can.

Accordingly, the invention provides a ring spinning frame having a pair of endless conveyor belts with cooperating runs arranged in facing relationship to convey sliver therebetween from a can or other supply source to a delivery position immediately preceding the intake drafting rollers of a drafting mechanism on the frame.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, an embodiment thereof will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying partially diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing part of a ring spinning frame and associated sliver supply cans with conveyor belts extending from the cans to drafting mechanisms on the spinning frame in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIGURE 1 but with some parts omitted and other parts broken away for the sake of clarity,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation showing a drafting mechanism of the spinning frame together with the delivery ends of associated conveyor belts,

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of FIGURE 3 taken in the direction of the arrow IV, and

FIGURE 5 shows a detail of FIGURE 3 in a displaced position.

In the illustrated embodiment, the invention is applied to a standard ring spinning frame in which a series of roller drafting mechanisms are disposed side-by-side along the length of the frame. Each such mechanism is conveniently composed of a pair of front delivery drafting rollers 1, an intermediate pair of band-carrying rollers 2 and a pair of rear intake drafting rollers 3, the mechanisms serving a row of spindles 4 positioned below the delivery outlets of the drafting mechanisms in well known manner. Slivers 5 are then supplied to the individual drafting mechanisms from large cans 6 arranged to stand in any desired number of rows extending along the side of the frame, with individual cans positioned as closely together as their circular plan form will allow. The rows of cans are preferably supported on a false floor or platform 7, which is raised a few inches above the main floor, and are arranged to leave a relatively narrow space 8 be tween the can rows down the centre of the array of cans. A passageway is also preferably provided along each side of the can rows for maximum accessibility.

For the purpose of conveying the slivers 5, which are in a weak and delicate state, from the cans to the drafting mechanisms on the ring frame, feed paths for individual slivers are defined between cooperating facing runs of pairs of endless conveyor belts 9 and 10. To this end the belts of each pair are arranged to extend from. a pair of intake support rollers 11, disposed side-by-side over the centre space 8 between the can rows and slightly above the level of the tops of the cans, through the aforesaid space. At the bottom of the space, the outermost belt runs and the facing runs pass through an opening 7a in the platform '7 and are guided respectively around a first group of three spaced guide rollers 12. From the first group of three guide rollers 12, the belts extend under the false floor or platform 7 to a further opening 7b therein through which the belts are directed around a second group of three guide rollers 13 to pass upwardly inside the frame 14 of the machine. Towards the upper ends of the belt loops, the belt runs may again be re-di rected over a third group of guide rollers 15, the upper loop ends being passed around a pair of delivery support rollers 16. These delivery support rollers are located in a position immediately preceding the intake drafting rollers 3 of a drafting mechanism served by the associated belt pair.

The delivery support rollers 16 may be carried, as shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, in bearings between forked parts 17 on one arm of a crank lever 18 which is angularly movable on a transverse bar 19 on the roller stand 20 and which also similarly carries an idler roller 21. This idler roller 21 is urged by spring means 22, acting between the crank lever 18 and a locking collar 23 on the bar 19, against the bottom fluted roller of the intake pair of drawing rollers 3 and also against the conveyor belt 9 where it passes round a support roller 16. In this way a frictional drive is transmitted to the belts from the drafting mechanism at the correct speed and in the correct direction.

A further roller 24 running the length of the frame and positively driven at a much higher speed, e.g. at the speed of the front drawing rollers 1 of the drafting mechanism from which the drive may conveniently be obtained, is positioned below the intake rollers 3 of the drafting mechanism. By angularly depressing the crank lever 18 against the pressure of spring 22, the idler roller 21 may then be displaced from driving contact with the bottom intake roller 3 into driving contact with the roller 24 while maintaining its pressure on the belt. The belts 9 and It) will then be driven at a high speed so long as the crank lever 18 is depressed. This will enable a new sliver end to be brought rapidly through the belts from a can as required. In FIGURE 5, the crank lever 13 is shown in this high speed belt driving position.

As will be understood, the arrangement described provides a separate pair of endless conveyor belts for serving each drafting mechanism along the length of the frame, corresponding support and guide rollers for the various belt pairs being mounted co-axially. The arrangement of these belts then enables sliver ends to be fed directly from the cans 6 between guide flanges 25 mounted on rods 26 and thence into the conveyor belt intakes through sliver guides 27. The slivers are then progressively drawn from the cans between the co-oper ating belt runs and are carried around thereby for delivery at the intakes of the drafting mechanisms. The very weak and delicate slivers are thus supported over substantially the whole of their feed paths from the cans to the drafting mechanisms.

In addition to providing adequate: support for the slivers, the conveyor belt arrangement also serves to enclose the greater part of a sliver length extending between a can and a drafting mechanism. The problem of considerable lengths of exposed slivers becoming dirty during stoppages and at weak ends is thus eliminated. It also becomes possible effectively to employ overhead blowers for cleaning the frames, a practice which is virtually impossible if the slivers are fed, in the customary manner and without belt support, upwardly from the cans and over the pathway along which the operator walks to tend the frame.

I claim:

1. A ring spinning frame comprising roller stand means, at least one roller drafting mechanism incorporating driven intake rollers and supported by said stand means, a pair of endless conveyor belts having co-operating facing runs defining a sliver feed path therebetween extending from a location adjacent a sliver supply source to a location adjacent said intake rollers, means for guiding and supporting said conveyor belts, means for transmitting a drive to said belts, a crank lever mounted for angular movement on said stand means behind said drafting mechanism, a pair of support rollers carried by said lever and around which said endless conveyor belts pass at the delivery end of said co-operating runs, an auxiliary roller carried by said stand means, means for driving said auxiliary roller faster than said intake rollers, an idler roller carried on said lever in driving contact with said belts and in driven contact alternatively with an intake drafting roller or with said auxiliary roller depending upon the angular position of said lever, and spring means urging said lever into the angular position in which said idler roller is in driven contact with said intake drafting roller.

2; The combination of a ring spinning frame incorporating a plurality of roller drafting mechanisms disposed side-by-side along said frame, a raised platform extending along the side of said frame for supporting rows of sliver cans and having a first and a second opening, a plurality of pairs of endless conveyor belts serving individual drafting mechanisms, means for supporting and guiding said belts with co-operating runs of each belt pair in facing relationship to define a sliver guide path therebetween extending from a sliver receiving position above the platform to a sliver delivery position adjacent a drafting mechanism, means for driving said conveyor belts, the supporting and guiding means for each belt pair cornprises a pair of intake support rollers disposed above a first opening in said platform through which the belts are passed downwardly from said support rollers, a first group of guide rollers disposed beneath said opening and around which said belts are passed to extend substantially horizontally beneath said platform, a second group of guide rollers, disposed beneath a second opening in said platform and around which said belts are passed to extend upwardly through said second opening and into said ring frame, a third group of guide rollers in said frame around which said belts are directed towards said drafting mechanism, and a pair of delivery support rollers mounted immediately behind said drafting mechanism and around which said belts are returned.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which corresponding support and guide rollers for the respective belt pairs are mounted co-axially and in which said intake support rollers are mounted above the platform at a higher level than the tops of the sliver cans which stand on the platform.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 further comprising overhead guide means disposed above said platform at a level above the tops of the cans and adapted to guide sliver from the cans to the said receiving positions between the respective belt pairs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,896,269 7/1952 Gardella et all 5736 3,016,679 1/1962 Rakhorst 5736 FOREIGN PATENTS 524,151 4/1955 Italy.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

A. J. SIDOTI, J. PETRAKES, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A RING SPINNING FRAME COMPRISING ROLLER STAND MEANS, AT LEAST ONE ROLLER DRAFTING MECHANISM INCORPORATING DRIVEN INTAKE ROLLERS AND SUPPORTED BY SAID STAND MEANS, A PAIR OF ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELTS HAVING CO-OPERATING FACING RUNS DEFINING A SLIVER FEED PATH THEREBETWEEN EXTENDING FROM A LOCATION ADJACENT A SLIVER SUPPLY SOURCE TO A LOCATION ADJACENT SAID INTAKE ROLLERS, MEANS FOR GUIDING AND SUPPORTING SAID CONVEYOR BELTS, MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING A DRIVE TO SAID BELTS, A CRANK LEVER MOUNTED FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ON SAID STAND MEANS BEHIND SAID DRAFTING MECHANISM, A PAIR OF SUPPORT ROLLERS CARRIED BY SAID LEVER AND AROUND WHICH SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELTS PASS AT THE DELIVERY END OF SAID CO-OPRATING RUNS, AN AUXILIARY ROLLER CARRIED BY SAID STAND MEANS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID AUXILIARY ROLLER FASTER THAN SAID INTAKE ROLLERS, AN IDLER ROLLER CARRIED ON SAID LEVER IN DRIVING CONTACT WITH SAID BELTS AND IN DRIVEN CONTACT ALTERNATIVELY WITH AN INTAKE DRAFTING ROLLER OR WITH SAID AUXILIARY ROLLER DEPENDING UPON THE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID LEVER, AND SPRING MEANS URGING SAID LEVER INTO THE ANGULAR POSITION IN WHICH SAID IDLER ROLLER IS IN DRIVEN CONTACT WITH SAID INTAKE DRAFTING ROLLER. 